Joseph Wendrich
Actor
About
Joseph is an up and coming actor from Wales, now based in Los Angeles. He comes from an artistic family with both of his parents being painters, and has a background in martial arts and theatre. He hopes to combine these with his love of travel and gritty, epic stories in his career as an actor.
"Coffee for my mind, Judo for my body, Acting for my soul"
Interview
When did it all start?
It all started during a family holiday in Iceland while I was re-watching Lord of the Rings for the tenth time, and after watching behind the scenes footage something clicked in my mind that this was exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I had always had a vivid imagination and a love of adventure, but being a shy kid the idea of acting terrified me. After taking a couple of classes and working on a film set for the first time, my eyes were opened to a whole new world that I wanted nothing more than to be a part of.
If you were an advertisement, what would your slogan be?
Coffee for my mind, Judo for my body, Acting for my soul
What does your career mean to you?
My career is just an extension of my daily life. I’m lucky enough that it involves everything I want to channel my energy into, such as being my creative outlet, pushing my fitness goals, travelling the world, and being around creative people that inspire me everyday.
What is your main motivation?
My main motivation is to create something I can be proud of and can show to people in the hopes that it will be of interest or benefit to them. I have always wanted to be of service to people in some way, and have often questioned how an actor can truly provide service. I believe we need stories in our lives, as its how we pass on our human experiences through the generations, as well and a way of exploring our complex emotions. Letting people know that they are not alone in how they feel, and that their pain and joy are being shared with others.
What is the part you enjoy the most? And the worst?
Working with likeminded people towards the same goal has to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It really is incredible to witness what can be accomplished by collective willpower and dedication. Unfortunately there are also people who try to take advantage of you, whether it’s financially or otherwise. I think it’s incredibly important to establish boundaries for yourself and hold yourself accountable to them, as it’s a slippery slope when you’re unsure of where you stand with your boundaries and someone tries to takes advantage of you.
Who are your idols?
Viggo Mortensen and Matthew McConaughey have both been inspirational to me. My parents have also had a huge impact on my life and who I am today, as well as J.R.R. Tolkien and his works.
In case you need a break in your career, what else would you like to do?
I would love to sail around the world on a yacht.
Do you consider that nowadays there are more or less opportunities for new artists? Why?
I think there are more opportunities for artists simply because there are more outlets to view content than ever before. Whether it’s through social media or submitting for film festivals, there are platforms where your content can be seen that are well within reach, and you don’t need to spend a fortune on equipment, as technology has advanced enough that it has become normal to have high quality cameras and other equipment at a reasonable cost.
What would your idyllic life be like?
It would involve a lot of travelling to wild places, while working on projects with passionate, talented people who want to tell interesting stories.
What are your next projects?
I currently have three short films that I am a part of, and a forth that I have written and I’m co-producing and co-starring in. I have a miniseries coming out soon and a feature film later in the year.
Spotify Playlist